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Title: Ultrafast Electron Correlations and Memory Effects at Work: Femtosecond Demagnetization in Ni

Abstract

Experimental observations of the ultrafast (less than 50 fs) demagnetization of Ni have so far defied theoretical explanations particularly since its spin-flipping time is much less than that resulting from spin-orbit and electron-lattice interactions. Through the application of an approach that benefits from spin-flip time-dependent density-functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory, we show that proper inclusion of electron correlations and memory (time dependence of electron-electron interaction) effects leads to demagnetization at the femtosecond scale, in good agreement with experimental observations. Furthermore, our calculations reveal that this ultrafast demagnetization results mainly from spin-flip transitions from occupied to unoccupied orbitals implying a dynamical reduction of exchange splitting. In this work, these conclusions are found to be valid for a wide range of laser pulse amplitudes. They also pave the way for ab initio investigations of ultrafast charge and spin dynamics in a variety of quantum materials in which electron correlations may play a definitive role.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (United States)
  2. Indiana State Univ., Terre Haute, IN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Indiana State Univ., Terre Haute, IN (United States); Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1800368
Grant/Contract Number:  
FG02-06ER46304; FG02-07ER46354
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 125; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS; Physics

Citation Formats

Acharya, Shree Ram, Turkowski, Volodymyr, Zhang, G.  P., and Rahman, Talat S. Ultrafast Electron Correlations and Memory Effects at Work: Femtosecond Demagnetization in Ni. United States: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.1103/physrevlett.125.017202.
Acharya, Shree Ram, Turkowski, Volodymyr, Zhang, G.  P., & Rahman, Talat S. Ultrafast Electron Correlations and Memory Effects at Work: Femtosecond Demagnetization in Ni. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.125.017202
Acharya, Shree Ram, Turkowski, Volodymyr, Zhang, G.  P., and Rahman, Talat S. Tue . "Ultrafast Electron Correlations and Memory Effects at Work: Femtosecond Demagnetization in Ni". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.125.017202. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1800368.
@article{osti_1800368,
title = {Ultrafast Electron Correlations and Memory Effects at Work: Femtosecond Demagnetization in Ni},
author = {Acharya, Shree Ram and Turkowski, Volodymyr and Zhang, G.  P. and Rahman, Talat S.},
abstractNote = {Experimental observations of the ultrafast (less than 50 fs) demagnetization of Ni have so far defied theoretical explanations particularly since its spin-flipping time is much less than that resulting from spin-orbit and electron-lattice interactions. Through the application of an approach that benefits from spin-flip time-dependent density-functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory, we show that proper inclusion of electron correlations and memory (time dependence of electron-electron interaction) effects leads to demagnetization at the femtosecond scale, in good agreement with experimental observations. Furthermore, our calculations reveal that this ultrafast demagnetization results mainly from spin-flip transitions from occupied to unoccupied orbitals implying a dynamical reduction of exchange splitting. In this work, these conclusions are found to be valid for a wide range of laser pulse amplitudes. They also pave the way for ab initio investigations of ultrafast charge and spin dynamics in a variety of quantum materials in which electron correlations may play a definitive role.},
doi = {10.1103/physrevlett.125.017202},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = 1,
volume = 125,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Tue Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}

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